“Then I don’t understand what you stand to gain by ruining me. You know I tried to save your father in good faith.”
“I know,” he said, sounding almost sad about it. “Here’s the thing. None of this is about you, not really. I mean, you’re convenient, almost comically so. Did you know that everyone sort of hates you at that hospital?”
“I don’t care about that,” I said.
“Oh, I know you don’t, which is astonishing. But truly, everyone does. All your peers are jealous of your talent and the accolades you’ve gotten, and the admins are sick of your bad attitude. You couldn’t have made this simpler.”
Lori waves her arms at me, trying to get my attention, but I kept turning from her, walking in a zig-zag pattern to keep her from my sight. “I understand I’m difficult to work with,” I said. “Thank you for that reminder.”
“I know, I know, you don’t need to hear it, I’m just amazed. See, here’s the thing, this isn’t really about you, it’s about me and my family. It’s true that my father didn’t get his affairs in order, but also not entirely. He did have a will, though a very old one, and if I’m going to get it negated, and somehow show that he meant to leave me his companies instead of my sister, then I’m going to need to show that he thought there’d be more time to make those changes. You’re simply one piece in that puzzle.”
I felt like the earth was moving beneath my feel. I stopped and leaned up against the concrete wall of the hospital while Lori stood close to me, one hand on my shoulder, peering into my face. She looked concerned, but I could barely see her.
It was all a game to him. That disgusting bastard was using me, preparing to destroy my career, all so that he could create some false narrative about his father’s last wishes. He was a greedy psychopath, and I’d somehow fallen in his way, a useful pawn. And when his game was over, he’d discard me, toss me back into the dark.
“That’s not going to work,” I said. “They’ll see through it.”
“All I need to do is show that my father thought he had more time. That’s your only purpose. Sorry about that, honestly, I really am. But if I can show that my father planned on living longer, then I can use the rest of my evidence to prove he was going to make me his heir, but never got that chance.”
“And is the rest of your evidence real?”
He laughed, low and malicious. “Sorry again, Dr. Hood. No hard feelings, really. But I’ve got to go, meetings and all.”
“Robert,” I said, but he hung up.
I stared at my phone.
“Are you okay?” Lori asked. “What happened?”
“He’s using me,” I said. “It’s all some game to him.”
“What are you talking about?”
I reached out to her and pulled her against me. I hugged her tight, not caring about the people walking nearby. It didn’t matter what they thought of me, not anymore, because regardless of what I did, I’d still get screwed by someone with more power than sense.
She looked up into my eyes when I relaxed my grip, then parted her lips as I kissed her.
I held that kiss for a long moment, pulling away with an almost regretful pang in my chest.
“Piers,” she said gently, touching my cheek.
“He’s using me to prove that his father planned on living longer. It’s all part of some bigger, complicated scheme to wrestle control of his father’s companies away from his sister.”
“Did he say that?”
I nodded and took her hand. I held it between both of mine, running my fingertips down her palm. “It doesn’t matter what I do or say. He’s going to find a way to destroy me, all for his own personal gain.”
“We can’t let that happen.” She pulled her hand away. “Piers. We can’t let that happen.”
“I bet your cousin knows about it,” I said. “That’s what he was trying to warn you about. It doesn’t matter whether I’m guilty or not. Tippett is rich enough to buy a goddamn judge if he needs to, and in the course of burning me down, you might get burned, too.”
“I already told you I’m not going anywhere.”
“Maybe you should.”
The look of hurt and anger she gave me was even worse than the conversation with Robert. She pulled away, walked a few feet further down the path, then turned.
“It’s not all about you,” she said. “You’re not the only person that suffers. You’re not the only one that gets to make decisions.”
“I know that. But you don’t have to be a part of this anymore. I’ve taught you a lot, you can—”
“Piers,” she said, voice heavy with anger. “Suck it up.”
I took a step back. “What?”
“Suck it up,” she said. “You can still fight this. I know what you just heard was awful, and I’m sure you’re pissed off, but you can fight this. You don’t have to let him roll over you.”
“I’m not,” I said, blinking at her, feeling my own anger rise in kind. I didn’t know what she thought she was doing, but it wouldn’t work. “I’m not going to go down without a fight.”
“Then stop trying to push me away. I’m not going to take the bait. We have a deal, and I’m going to make good on it.”
I took a couple breaths, watching her. Lori was an extraordinary woman, I knew it the second I first met her, but this was more than I could have ever dreamed of.
“Any rational person would go running and screaming.”
“I guess I’m not rational then.”
“I wouldn’t blame you.”
“I don’t care. I’m sick of being told what to do.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m going back inside. We have a procedure to prep for.”
She walked past me, her shoulder scraping against mine. I watched her head down the path then into the building, but didn’t move.
If
